The Last Husband (Forever Love #2)(42)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Don’t change the subject.” Lucky shouted at me and I stared at her, in shock. “I’m fed up of your bullshit, Zane. All your lies and suspicions. This has nothing to do with Leo.”

“He was supposed to be your bodyguard, Lucky. He was supposed to be looking after you. Anything could have happened.”

“What could have happened, Zane? What?” Lucky came forward and pushed me. “I’m so tired of your bullshit. Braydon’s not the one who hurt me, Zane. You are. You’re the one who hurts me every day you lie to me. I can’t take this, Zane.” She started crying and my heart broke. I didn’t know how to respond. “Say something.”

“I’m sorry.” My voice was low and I reached my hands out to her. She recoiled from me, and I felt as if someone had just sucked away all the oxygen from my body.

“I want more than an apology.” She came towards me and pushed. “Where were you last night?”

“I was with Angelique.” My voice was bleak and I watched as the light died in her eyes. “It’s not what you think.”

“So you’re still sleeping with her?”

“No.” I grabbed her hands. “Please believe me.” I begged her. “Please, just listen.”

“You knew when you were leaving last night that you were going to spend the evening with her, didn’t you?”

I nodded. How could I deny her the truth?

“So it was all a lie, the bullshit about the Japanese businessmen?”

I nodded again, willing her to understand why I had to lie. “Please let me explain, Lucky.”

“Have you had sex with Angelique?”

“I did not have sex with Angelique last night.” I pleaded with her to understand.

“But you have before?” Her breath caught. “Have you f**ked her?”

“Lucky, please.” I grabbed hold of her. “Let’s not talk about her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She cried and my heart broke at her tears. She looked so small and tired. Her bright smile and happy eyes were dimmed and I was responsible for making her miserable. My heart dropped as I realized that it hadn’t been worth it. The events of the night before hadn’t been worth it. Not if it meant I was going to lose Lucky.

“It was a long time ago. It was one night, before she and Noah started dating. It meant nothing, Lucky.”

“Not to her,” she gasped through tears, daring me to refute her claim.

“I’m sorry.” I reached my hands to my forehead and closed my eyes. It was true; I knew Angelique still had a crush on me. It had been my in with her. I had been her weakness. But now, now that I was standing here with Lucky, crying and upset with me, it wasn’t worth it. None of it was worth it. Noah wouldn’t have wanted me to ruin the relationship with the one girl I had ever loved to get my revenge.

“I thought we were finally getting through to each other. I thought you were finally being honest with me. But you’re never going to be truly honest, are you?”

“I am honest with you, Lucky. I couldn’t tell you about Angelique.” My voice was hoarse and I hoped she could see how sincere I was. “I couldn’t tell you Lucky. Please believe me.”

“You couldn’t tell me or you didn’t want to tell me?”

“Look, it’s true that we slept together once, but that was a long time ago. Last night’s dinner was something that had been planned for a long time, since before we even came to Los Angeles.”

“I see.” Her face paled and she looked down.

“It wasn’t a romantic dinner, Lucky.” I sighed and brought her face up to mine. “Look at me, please. I’ve been working with the FBI and the DEA to catch Braydon for selling drugs. Their investigations showed that Braydon was connected to some powerful drug lords in Mexico and Braydon is one of the biggest traffickers in the city. They needed my help because he is an actor and he’s well-protected. It has been hard for them to get any real dirt or concrete evidence on him. Angelique and he were good friends, and the FBI thought that, if I maintained my friendship with Angelique, I could get even closer to the real dirt in the group.”

Lucky frowned and looked away, but I knew she was paying attention and really listening. My heart pounded as I continued my story, hoping that Lucky would understand everything and forgive me for leaving her in the dark.

“So I’ve been playing friendly with Angelique, hoping she would be able to provide me with some information.”

“She knew you were trying to bring down Braydon?” Lucky’s voice was hurt.

“No, no.” I shook my head. “No one knew that Braydon was suspected of being a major drug trafficker. I couldn’t tell anyone. But last night, Angelique let something slip. She told me she was leaving the country for a couple of months. I thought she meant because she was so upset over Noah, but she gave me an odd look. And then it all hit me at once.”

“What hit you?” Lucky’s face was confused and I slowed down.

“I had a conversation with the Agent in charge of the case yesterday, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. He told me that Braydon had a partner, someone who was actually running the show. I thought it was Evan and I suspected Leeza of being here to do something bad to you.”

“Oh Zane.” Lucky looked upset and then angry. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this? Shouldn’t I have been warned if you suspected that about my best friend?”

“I asked Leo to keep an eye on Leeza and all her movements.”

Lucky was silent and I could see her eyes becoming more distant. “I was wrong about Evan and Leeza. I owe her an apology, I suppose.” I made a face, but Lucky didn’t laugh, so I continued. “Angelique was the partner. She was the perfect foil. No one would ever suspect a beautiful supermodel of running a huge drug cartel.”

“Angelique is a drug trafficker?” Lucky’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“I know.” I shook my head. “It turns out that she and Braydon have been working together for years, and she was the brains behind the whole thing.”

“She was the brains?” Lucky made such a funny face that I laughed and she scowled at me. “I’m not forgiving you that easily, Zane. Why were you out all night?”

“I wasn’t in her bed, even though she wanted me to be.” I cut myself off before I made the situation worse. “Look, Angelique came from a very poor family, and in all her life, all she has ever wanted was money. After our alliance, I blew her off and I guess I became a bit of a challenge to her. Men didn’t reject her – she rejected them. I think she convinced herself, in her own sick way, that she loved me, or rather she was trying to do everything she could to get me, to prove something to herself. I have never wanted to be with her. And I’ve never really liked her. Last night, when I realized that Angelique was Braydon’s partner, I called my contact at the FBI. He told me to stay until they could get over there. Well, let’s just say they didn’t get over until about 3 a.m.”